Chicago Mom Honored As A ‘Superhero’ For Fight Against City Violence

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WWR Article Summary (tl;dr)Meet Tamar Manasseh, the Chicago Mother who has become a real life superhero in her mission to prevent violence. Manasseh says, “I’m proud to be a part of helping create a blueprint for other communities to copy,”….”When you build community, violence doesn’t have a chance to get in.”

CHICAGO

Chicagoan Tamar Manasseh is a real live superhero.

But you may be aware of that already.

She, on the other hand, recently found out.

You may have heard about her work as founder of Mothers Against Senseless Killings (MASK). As one of many women fed up with Chicago’s violence, her group of moms sat down in Englewood in an effort to stand up to deter would-be troublemakers.

That was three years ago. Since then, the mothers have hosted regular block party-style sit-ins at a number of intersections in the city. This summer will be no different, Manasseh says. Women and volunteers will be out there every day trying to make a difference.

“There are no days off,” Manasseh said. “I didn’t start out to be an activist; I’m not an activist. I’m just a mom.”

Her efforts have been noticed locally and now nationally. Studio Movie Grill (SMG), a Dallas-based movie theater brand with a location in the Chatham neighborhood, selected Manasseh as Chicago’s “Real Life Woman Superhero.” The mother of two was one of more than 700 nominees in the nationwide search for everyday women making a difference in their communities.

“I couldn’t believe I won. I thought it was a prank,” Manasseh recalled upon hearing the news.

Inspired by the upcoming “Wonder Woman” film, SMG paired with Warner Bros. Pictures for the national campaign to find women with the most inspiring stories from each of SMG’s 11 markets, including Chicago. Winners were chosen based on their dedication to helping others and resiliency in the face of tough circumstances.